Syed Ahmed Bukhari, who is Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid has appealed Muslim voters to vote for the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections. Bukhari also asked the voters in the West Bengal to vote in the favour Trinamool Congress. Interestingly, Bukhari, who was once supporting Samajwadi Party (SP) in UP, severely criticised the Mulayam Singh-led party. He didn't spare the Mayawati-led BSP also.

Bukhari's
open support to the Congress has come after the Muslim cleric met
Congress President Sonia Gandhi three days before. Addressing a press
conference, Bukhari expressed confidence that the Congress will keep
its promises, it made for the welfare of the Muslims and expected
that Hindus and Muslims will vote for humanity only.

In
Focus

Opposing
SP in the conference, he said, “Mulayam Singh Yadav's party had
betrayed Muslims. And voting for SP this time will be waste. He also
stated, “ Nation is presently facing danger from communal forces.
And we should better ensure that secular votes will not be divided.”

On
Bukhari's open support to the Congress, Professor of Political
Science at Jamia Milla Islamia, Dr. Nisar Ul Haq, said, “Congress
as a political party is much better and even without Bukhari's
pro-Congress appeal, Muslims will have voted for the Congress only.”

Haq
added, “Bukhari himself is aware that Muslims will not vote for any
party except Congress. In Uttar Pradesh Muslims votes are divided
between Samajwadi Party and the Congress and his plea shows that this
time he wants to save the Muslim votes from splitting into two parts.
He is making effort to stop division which will indirectly support
BJP only. And I personally feel that we should vote for the person
who take a stand for your rights rather than thinking to vote for the
option left.

Speaking
on the Modi's wave, which is reportedly going on in North and Western
part of the Country especially, according to the various polls and
surveys, Dr. Haq said, “Muslims would prefer “Though BJP got too
much media exposure and it seems leading ahead of other parties in
2014 Lok Sabha elections but Muslims still prefer Congress and other
regional parties only.”

Meanwhile
Bhartiya Janata Party's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi
has asked the Election Commission to take strict action against the
Congress for appealing for votes on religious lines and trying to
polarise the elections.